How it all started

Brothers Christian and Michael Sieger launched the SIEGER brand in 2005, just two years after taking over management of the family business sieger design from their father. Alongside projects for their agency clients, the brothers wanted to develop their own artisanal-quality collections unlike anything that existed on the market back then. As Michael Sieger recalls, the goal was to create “smart, innovative, life-affirming, truly exceptional products that would enrich each and every day.

The founders date the brand’s birth to an event held on 8 September that year, when the collection was unveiled to national and international retailers at the company headquarters Harkotten Castle in Germany’s Münsterland region. At another event that same month, the Grand Salon, some end customers were able to try out a small selection of the products for the first time. “They were so enthused that one even took four of our gold tumblers home with him without asking,” Christian Sieger remembers. “Eventually, a member of our team handed over 400 euros and explained the man had been very keen to show the tumblers to his own guests the following evening.”

Finding a partner

Planning for the brand had begun around 12 months before that. The idea was that it wouldn’t be confined to a single segment. As well as designing a selection of colourful fashion accessories and furniture, the brothers decided to move into the tableware sector, which was widely regarded at the time as conservative and short on innovation. They found an ideal partner in the Porzellanmanufaktur Fürstenberg, Europe’s second-oldest porcelain manufactory (founded 1747). The brothers wanted to take a craft that had been cultivated and passed down over the centuries, and more fully unlock its strengths: its potential for creative freedom and utmost precision. Michael Sieger was determined to create entirely new forms using even finer porcelain than any other company. The wafer-thin walls required incredible craftsmanship and delicacy of touch. Over the course of several months, the partners worked on the products’ aesthetic, functional and tactile qualities, honing the different stages of the production process until the desired fineness and precision could be achieved. Today, this process is supported by 3D prototypes, which are usually either digitally printed or made in the model workshop.

Brand identity and design signature

When it came to functionality, the sieger design team was able to draw on its experience delivering projects for other brands. Back in the 1990s, the agency had developed two successful porcelain ranges for Arzberg: CULT in 1993 and TRIC in 1997. The latter became one of the bestselling collections in the mid-price segment. In 2005, this experience, in concert with the new brand’s bold embrace of colours and forms and its “international flair”, became the foundation of the SIEGER identity. Four core values were defined: luxury, quality, culture and style.

SIEGER by FÜRSTENBERG carved out a clear position in the premium sector with collections that were handmade in Germany. Two of today’s bestsellers date right back to the start: the dinner service MY CHINA! and the champagne tumblers Sip of Gold. The service was intended to “combine handcrafted quality with versatile functionality”, explains Michael Sieger. The basic design has remained unchanged, but additional pieces have been added to the collection over the years. The name MY CHINA! expresses the underlying idea: namely, to allow each customer to create their own, highly individual service by mixing and matching the pieces. “We believe that people nowadays are looking for everyday luxury that doesn’t require them to compromise on functionality.” After all, who wants dishes that aren’t dishwasher-safe? The collection was launched in a pure white version as well as one with the decor Emperor’s Garden, which is inspired by Chinese porcelain and adorned by hand with 24-carat gold. SIEGER by FÜRSTENBERG has stuck to this same basic approach to this day: abundant colours and patterns that exude a certain opulence and extravagance. Several more decors have been added since, including the black-and-white Ca’ d’Oro, the colourful Paraíso and the Stella range, characterised by its delicate relief lines.

Tangible and intangible values

Archetypal forms often play a vital role in Michael Sieger’s designs, which are rooted in enduring values, tradition and emotionality. Ideas for new products often come out of extensive research into an object’s history or international customs. Yet these products are also intended to express something timeless, as can be seen in the Sip of Gold champagne tumblers. The collection was inspired by a classic silver tumbler that Michael received as a gift from his wife, who is also his muse. The around 2 mm thick porcelain is plated with 24-carat gold on the inside. When the tumbler is filled with champagne, the reflections create the impression of liquid gold that gives the range its name. A lot of work goes into creating that special experience: each tumbler has to be fired up to four times and passes through up to 100 hands before leaving the workshop. While the tumblers initially attracted some scepticism from people who couldn’t imagine drinking fine beverages from anything other than glass, the collection now has many fans – including both private consumers and hospitality professionals.

Looking ahead

Today, the premium brand from Germany has gone global. Its collections have made their way into private dining and living rooms and prestigious restaurants and five-star hotels. “We’re proud of that,” says Christian Sieger. “But we still have lots of new ideas and potential for development, especially at the international level. We want to make our collections and values – design, craftsmanship and what we call the good life – available to many more people.”

SIEGER by FÜRSTENBERG is beginning its 20th anniversary year by launching a whole host of new ranges and additions to existing collections. They include My Companion, a range of porcelain to-go cups, new decors for the Sip of Gold champagne tumblers and the vase collection Luna and four limited-edition standalone pieces.